Bird Table News

I’ve been lucky enough to receive the comment below.  It’s great they enjoy watching birds and the natural world. 

One of the things I wondered was why only two swallows nested. Each year more and more swallows return but only two swallows nest.  Can anyone give an answer or help with this puzzle.

I wondered if it was lack of nesting sites.

For the past 4 years we’ve had a pair of swallows make their nest on our front porch.

One year they had 8 young in 2 different hatchings.

Last year they appeared on March 18 I can’t wait to see how close they come to that date this year.

Also I notice that each year we have more and more birds returning I’m assuming its the babies but they all fly about and sit on the lines but only one pair build a nest. Although at night I’ll find 6-10 sleeping around the nest.

One year one baby was not getting fed we fed it wet dog food on a stick with toothpick and it made it to maturity. My little girl thinks their her pets. God has given us so many treasures to enjoy.

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This is one heath robinson way that really works.  No matter how much snow falls the area between the shrub and the wood is always green and snow free. 

I get loads of blackbirds, sparrows, thrushes and more hopping about round and in this old shrub.

Shelter for birds and birdfood!

The photo below just shows the

• lower leaves of a hedge,
•  the sheltered snow free habitat on the ground under the hedge and
• the snow that covered all the garden and countryside but could not get under this hedge!

Snow stopped in its tracks

 These are basic photos, but show how there are ways to keep a bit of garden snow free for the birds.

ENJOY THE VIEW OF A SNOW FREE COUNTRYSIDE

Just a reminder of warmer days ahead

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A weak and hungry barn owl found on a road on the edge of a town in North Yorkshire has given conservationists a surprise

The barn owl was picked up from the roadside and taken to a Veterinary Centre in Pickering. They got in touch with a Barn Owl Conservation network.

The barn owl was put in a warm box and left with food. He was very thin but did not have any injury.

The really bad weather we have had would have made it hard for owls to find food. They have to search the countryside and the countryside has been covered in snow and this means the owls cannot see their prey.

The Barn Owl was ringed and from that ring number the British Trust for Ornithology found out the date that the barn owl had been ring.

The Barn Owl had been ringed on June 17th 1997.

It is 13 years old!

This has surprised conservationists who thought that barn owls only live 3 or 4 years. this has been one lucky Barn Owl

It must know the countryside round Pickering so well. every hill and dale and every tree and shrub! It was lucky to have been picked up and taken to a Vets. The person could so easily have passed by and ignored the owl.

A 13year old barn owl!. Wow. I see barn owls around here. They certainly add something to the countryside. Their white shape in the night sky always seems to link me to nature.

I wish this Barn Owl a long and problem free life.

As it happens the person who ringed the bird is still doing conservation work in the area.

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I received a question the other week asking if  any bird seed / bird food  is genetically modified.  I do not know so I could not answer.

I was also asked -  if we  buy bird seed which is generically modified  and then put it in our feeders – would wild birds know it was different and not eat the bird food?

These are two good questions. 

Does anyone know the answer?

I know bird food is produced to the highest standards, but can it be separated from GM crops and does it matter if bird food is genetically modified?

I think I need help here to figure this one out.

Trisha from Bird Table News

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• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-31 http://ff.im/-faefZ #
• PUT CHILLI POWDER ON BIRDFOOD TO KEEP SQUIRRLES AWAY? http://ff.im/-fcEOu #
• A YOUNG BOY FEEDING BIRDS http://ff.im/-fg43c #
• THE THAW WAS SHORT AND SWEET http://ff.im/-flGHB #
• IT PAYS TO BUY A STRONG BIRD FEEDER http://ff.im/-fnpYo #
• FEEDING FAT TO BIRDS – CONFUSION CAUSED BY BBC INFORMATION? http://ff.im/-fuFbn #

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.Liz said, on February 3rd, 2010

During the snowy/cold time we had recently BBC breakfast encouraged people to feed the birds in you garden (good for them).
I e mailed to suggest that people put out fat mixed with seeds and other suitable bits. Within half an hour they announced that you should not give birds meat fat as it might give them salmonella which would kill them. Is this correct?
If not please ask them to make an announcement to clarify as many people may have taken this as correct and are not giving fat to birds in the garden.

 Trish said, on February 4th, 2010
The world is turning upside down. 

It was a good idea of yours to suggest people put out fat mixed with seed.

I have always put out seed mixed with fat in winter. I think people have been doing it for years.

I have looked on the RSPB website to see what they say. They now seem to differentiate between lard and meat fat !

I wonder if the BBC have read this and misunderstood because they do not understand bird feeding.

I’m not sure how to get in touch with BBC breakfast but will take a look.

The RSPB site says
‘Lard and beef suet on their own are fine as they re-solidify after warming and, as they are pure fat, it is not as suitable for bacteria to breed on. ‘

It goes on to say ‘Fat from cooking is bad for birds.’ Then it goes on to explain why.

The RSPB site also says ‘Unlike humans, birds need high levels of saturated fat, such as raw suet and lard. They need the high energy content to keep warm in the worst of the winter weather, since their body reserves are quickly used up, particularly on cold winter nights. ‘

So feeding fat to birds is helping them survive the winter.

thanks for telling me about this. What was the email address you used to contact them?  Trisha at Bird Table News

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I hope we don’t confuse people too much and make bird feeding too complicated for people to do.

Does anyone have any ideas and opinions on the type of fat to feed birds.

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It was freezing cold this morning when I discovered the handle on the newish birdfeeder had snapped in two.  How annoying is that. 

The two bird feeders below lasted me really well – for years in fact.  I still use the top feeder every day – have done for years.

a sturdy bird feeder

A good bird feeder

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A thaw in the middle of January gave a break from the cold of winter and gave birds a chance to recover a little.  Bird feeding still went on but there was  less urgency.  Today the freezing weather has returned.

People have been helping feed birds in a lot of ways

At the Potteric Car nature reserve surplus fish from Doncaster Market was left on the ice for bitterns.  The fish attracted one bittern within an hour.

At Far Ings Nature Reserve on the Humber whitebait and sardines were left for bitterns.

Some birds will fare better than others.  All types of birds have been affected by this raw,  cold winter.

Bearded Tits eat seeds in the autumn.  At Blacktoft Sands bearded tits have been eating reed seeds.  This winter the reed heads have been frozen or covered in snow. 

Wildfowl have been looking for any open stretches of water.  Six white fronted geese have been seen on a pond near Scarborough in North Yorkshire. 

Two long tailed ducks, a Slavonian grebe, six brent geese have been seen at Filey Bay.

I know for a fact that Fieldfare have been starved off the fields because of the snow and ice  and have arrived in gardens for food and sanctuary and survival.

I wonder how birds survived in the winter of 1947 – when it was freezing cold.  I’m sure people did not put as much bird food out then as we do now.

Does anyone know?

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Marjorie asked

I have bought my 10 year old grandson a bird table for Christmas.  He is home educated and is fascinated with the birds who have now started coming into our garden to the bird table.
We have put out grated cheese, a coconut fat thingy, a fat ball and some bird nuts.
Yesterday he read in his book that sunflower hearts are popular.
The birds don’t seem to want the bird nuts and they have been left untouched.
Can someone tell us why that is?  Is it because the nuts are too large?

I replied

Thanks for getting in touch. It’s great that your grandson likes feeding birds and is fascinated with them.  There are so many sizes and colours aren’t there?  Only certain birds like peanuts and if you aren’t getting that type of bird at your feeder then they won’t be eaten.

Is the cheese being eaten?  I bet it is.
Sunflower hearts are really good enery food for birds.
If you click on this link you will see a list of some birds that do like sunflower hearts
http://birdtablenews.com/2009/04/some-birds-that-eat-sunflower-hearts/

If you click on thE  link below it gives a list of the favourite bird food of some garden birds
http://birdtablenews.com/2009/02/favourite-bird-food-of-some-garden-birds/

Below is a link to soft bill bird food.  Some birds have beaks that can only eat certain food.  Soft bill food helps these birds

http://birdtablenews.com/2009/07/softbill-bird-food/

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Hope that info helps you.  I’m really pleased your grandson is enjoying watching birds

If you click on the link below you will be able to hear some birdsong.  At the end of the article there is a DVD of birdsong for sale, in case your grandson would like to listen to some birdsong

http://birdtablenews.com/2010/01/birdsong-from-my-east-yorkshire-garden/

It’s really great that your grandson is fascinated by birds.  It is a link to nature which must be good.

Trisha

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I had another question that asked about GM bird food.  What is your opinion

I am having the same problem. The birds aren’t eating the bird seed. Do you think that the seed is genetically modified? I read somewhere that chickens won’t eat GM chicken feed. The animals must know that GM foods are not safe.

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